


Of Grand Gifts (and perfect presents)

by Cyanocitta20



Series: (You are My) Past, Present, and Future [3]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: First Kiss, Getting Together, Harry Potter & Tom Riddle Attend Hogwarts Together, Love Confessions, M/M, Oblivious Harry, Oblivious Harry Potter, Riddle at Hogwarts Era, Slash, Time Travel
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-04
Updated: 2020-10-04
Packaged: 2021-03-08 03:13:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,259
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26818639
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Cyanocitta20/pseuds/Cyanocitta20
Summary: “Oh! Here’s your Christmas present. I know it’s only Christmas Eve, but I thought it would be better to give you this in private, so…”Harry handed over his present, excited to see Tom’s reaction.Tom looked over at him suspiciously, carefully accepting the package in his hands.“This better not be a prank, Harry.”“It’s not! Open it!” Harry urged, practically bouncing with anticipation.
Relationships: Harry Potter/Tom Riddle
Series: (You are My) Past, Present, and Future [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1889494
Comments: 8
Kudos: 365





	Of Grand Gifts (and perfect presents)

**Author's Note:**

> When I first planned this, I thought that it was way too cliche.
> 
> And then I remembered the rest of this series, which is already all my favorite cliches mashed into one anyway, so why not this too?
> 
> And that is how you all are getting a Christmas story in October!
> 
> I also made a promise that I’d write something happy for these two after my last Tomarry fic, so here you go :)

Harry dropped into his bed in the Slytherin dorms with a loud, dragging sigh. He was feeling rather stressed, despite the fact that it was the holidays. Tomorrow was Christmas, and New Years was coming soon.

Which meant Tom’s birthday was coming up, too.

And that meant Harry needed to prepare a present for Tom’s birthday.

But _what?_

What did _Tom Riddle_ even need? Harry was quite sure that Tom, as cunning and powerful as he was, could probably have anything in the world that he wanted. The man could probably either charm people into falling at his feet with a single smile or frighten them into submission with a glare. This made him an incredibly difficult person to shop for.

Harry had only barely managed to come up with Tom’s Christmas present in time. He’d fussed over that for _weeks_ as well, unable to think of what could possibly be an appropriate gift. It had only been a couple days ago that he’d finally been struck with the perfect inspiration.

Thankfully, Harry had been able to buy it in the limited time he’d had, and it was currently safely wrapped up and hidden in his suitcase. He planned on giving it to Tom today instead of tomorrow, so that he would be able to watch Tom’s reaction without other people looking in.

Harry tried and failed to suppress a grin at the thought of his present. Tom was going to be shocked when he got it later, of this Harry was certain. 

Honestly, he had cheated just a little, since he wouldn’t have known of its existence or where to get it if not for the memories he had. Usually Harry tried to refrain from abusing his knowledge of what had once been the future - for it surely must have changed by now - but desperate times called for desperate measures. 

In other words, Harry had basically panicked and bought the first thing that came to mind. He was lucky that it was truly a gift that he knew Tom would appreciate.

But that was for Christmas. Harry _still_ needed something for Tom’s birthday. He sighed, cursing his horrible gift-giving skills. 

Harry had already asked all his friends for any ideas, long before everyone had gone home for the holidays. 

Septimus Weasley - yes, Ron’s grandfather, as weird as that sounded - only laughed at his predicament, patting him on his back jovially and telling him to do whatever he wanted. 

Orion Black, ever the prankster, had given him a bunch of useless prank ideas that he apparently found hilarious, but was too afraid of Tom to actually put into action.

Abraxas Malfoy, who seemed to have finally decided to accept Harry, had told him to just go to Hogsmeade or something, saying that Tom wouldn’t mind in the least.

Why Harry even called the bunch of unhelpful idiots his friends, he would never know.

Harry had hoped more ideas would come if he thought on it a little longer, but at this point he was running out of time. The fact that most other students had left Hogwarts for the holidays meant Harry spent a lot more time in proximity with Tom, which made it rather difficult to sneak out to buy a present.

Speaking of spending time with Tom, the Slytherin was acting _weird_ these days. Harry simply did not understand what was going on. Tom would just sit and _stare_ at him for long periods, and it was quite unnerving, if Harry was being honest. It made him a little nervous, to be stared at so intensely, without knowing _why_.

Moreover, Tom would get mad at the oddest moments. Not at Harry, never at him, but at his other friends or acquaintances. One moment Tom would call for Harry, in a good mood about something, and then he’d instantly shift gears and glare at the fifth year who had been asking Harry a question on DADA. It was honestly absurd, and also a bit annoying since this meant Harry was having trouble making new friends. Really, Harry wondered if Tom had a wish to isolate him and make him a social outcast, because there was no other way to explain his actions. Unless he secretly had bipolar disorder, that is.

Harry had mentioned this to a few of his friends, but even though they usually had no qualms about badmouthing the Slytherin prefect, it seemed like they weren’t concerned at this new behavior at all. In fact, they’d seemed almost amused, which was shocking because no one was ever _amused_ at something _Tom Riddle_ did. When he’d questioned her, Madeline Hale, a Ravenclaw friend he’d made in his first few days here, had looked at him with the type of look that said “you’re an idiot.” Admittedly, she gave him that look very often, so receiving it again wasn’t much of a surprise, but Harry was still confused.

Harry heaved another sigh, wondering if he could ask the Room of Requirement to provide him with answers. It would be an extreme help if that was possible.

_Wait._

The Room of Requirement. 

Did Tom know about it? Harry rather believed not. It had certainly never been mentioned between them.

If Tom wasn’t aware of the room, perhaps Harry could use it for his birthday...

He stored the idea away for later, deciding that he would have to ponder on the specifics a little more. 

For now, he had somewhere to be, and a present to gift.

* * *

“Tom, where are we going?”

“Just _wait_ , Harry. The point of a surprise is that you’re _not supposed to know_.”

Harry was currently blindfolded, and being tugged along by Tom, who seemed uncharacteristically enthusiastic. He had no idea where their destination was, but was excited as well, if only because he rarely got to see Tom act so childlike.

They walked through the hallways, up and down some stairs, and although Harry tried to keep track of where they were moving, he soon lost focus.

So he let himself be led, content to simply enjoy the happy and buzzing atmosphere surrounding them.

* * *

When Harry was finally given permission to look, he found himself in a warm, firelit room, filled with various decorations - silver and green, of course - and all of Harry’s favorite foods. 

“When did you prepare all this?” he asked, eyes wide as he looked around.

“It didn’t take too long, the house elves helped as well,” Tom replied easily. “Besides, if we’re going to be surrounded by others tomorrow, I’d like some quiet today.”

He finished his sentence with a slight upwards curl of his mouth, which was normally about as much emotion one could ever coax from Tom. Harry smiled widely back, happy that as much as Tom hated people in general, he didn’t mind spending time with Harry.

“Oh! Here’s your Christmas present. I know it’s only Christmas Eve, but I thought it would be better to give you this in private, so…”

Harry handed over his present, excited to see Tom’s reaction.

Tom looked over at him suspiciously, carefully accepting the package in his hands.

“This better not be a prank, Harry.”

“It’s not! Open it!” Harry urged, practically bouncing with anticipation.

Tom gave him another suspicious glance before cautiously unwrapping the gift. Upon looking inside, he drew in a sharp breath.

“Harry, _how_..?” Tom trailed off, staring down.

In his trembling hands, Tom was clasping a locket. _Slytherin’s_ locket, to be exact, proudly displayed in all its glory.

Harry grinned brightly.

“I have my ways. Do you like it?”

“ _Like_ it? Harry, this.. I can’t believe you’ve done this.” Tom was still focused on the locket, grasping it tightly in his fists as though he was afraid it would disappear.

“What will you do with it, Tom?” Harry prompted carefully.

He was slightly nervous to ask this. Harry was certain that Tom was not the same person from before, that the locket would not be turned into a horcrux this time around. Tom had changed, the timeline had changed. The _future_ had changed.

Even so, with the past - or was it future, now?- he had, Harry couldn’t help being a little anxious.

Tom finally tore his gaze away from the locket, his eyes focusing on Harry, instead.

Harry bit his lip, watching Tom’s expression change as he stared. His eyes widened when instead of answering him verbally, Tom slowly turned towards him, advancing upon him like a predator stalking its prey.

“Tom?” Harry asked, his voice a pitch higher than usual. He backed away, more than a little worried now.

When Tom didn’t give him an answer, instead moving forward again with his gaze still intensely focused on him, Harry stumbled another step back. Another step. And another.

In the span of a few seconds, Harry found his back pressed against the door of the room, Tom coming closer to him still.

He gulped when Tom stepped up close, leaning down to position them face to face.

Wide-eyed, Harry stared up at him, his face a look of confusion mixed with a little alarm.

“Mistletoe, Harry,” Tom finally whispered, his breath softly brushing over Harry’s mouth.

Harry looked up as Tom spoke, just in time to see a mistletoe suddenly made its appearance above Harry’s head, the room adjusting itself to Tom’s needs. 

Before he had the time to fully process what was going on, Tom quickly swept down, closing what little distance remained between them.

 _Oh,_ Harry thought. _Oh._

Harry vaguely registered part of his mind realizing, _this is the exact same place I had my first kiss ever._

This, however, was _nothing_ like his first kiss. Nothing at _all_. 

Yielding, Harry let his eyes drift shut, losing himself in the taste and feel that was Tom and letting him guide the kiss.

All too soon, Tom drew away just slightly, both of them panting for air and leaving Harry still disoriented and thoroughly ravished.

When Harry finally came to his senses, he noticed Tom looking down at his chest, actually smiling a _genuine_ smile at something.

Harry looked down as well, wondering what it was that could make Tom smile like that.

He froze, holding his breath.

_The locket._

Slytherin’s locket was nestled against his chest, the chain somehow already clasped around his neck. 

“Tom...?” 

Harry raised his eyes, meeting Tom’s disbelievingly.

What he saw in those eyes made him forget to breathe again.

Tom’s eyes were incredibly soft and painfully fond as he looked down at Harry, a kind of delight gleaming in his eyes. Harry was certain that he had never seen Tom look so unguarded and free, so truly _happy_ , and the fact that he was allowed to witness such a moment was incredible.

But even more than that, Harry could tell that the fondness in his eyes, the affection Tom held towards him, was the very look that he had been so confused about recently. It was the same look, but at a much greater level now, no longer guarded, allowing Harry to finally see the expression for what it was.

The love - for it simply could not be anything else - that Tom held for him.

And it was just as strong and unbreakable as the love Harry had for Tom.

Harry wasn’t oblivious to his own emotions, he had realized that he loved Tom a while ago. 

He had not, however, thought that those feelings could be reciprocated, and so had been trying, unsuccessfully, to suppress his own emotions.

 _Perhaps I don’t need to_ , Harry thought, as Tom’s mouth descended upon his once again.

“I love you,” he blurted out dazedly, before slapping his hand over his mouth. 

That had probably been too much, too fast. 

Yet when he looked up again, half afraid of Tom’s reaction, the other boy looked stunned, but also delighted.

“I love you too,” he replied cautiously after a moment had passed.

Despite the slight hesitation before he spoke, Tom’s words were spoken with sincerity, and a broad smile broke out over Harry’s face. The hesitation, he knew, came from the fact that Tom was not used to expressing such emotions. The fact that he had still said the words aloud, despite his reservations, spoke volumes about Tom’s feelings.

He hugged Tom, knowing it would make him a little uncomfortable but much too happy to suppress his giddiness entirely.

Tom loved him. In this moment, there was nothing more Harry wanted. Life was perfect.

As he felt Tom’s arms settle around him, the gesture still a little jerky and awkward, Harry allowed himself a moment to just drown in the wave of feelings washing over him.

Unbeknownst to him, Tom, too, was allowing himself to finally lower his guards completely, overcome by emotions that he did not yet fully understand.

* * *

“Sit with me, Harry,” Tom said after a while, getting over his momentary awkwardness and giving Harry another quick peck.

As soon as he spoke, a cozy loveseat made its presence known in the center of the room and Tom led Harry towards it, hugging him close as though Harry was something precious.

It was at that moment, seeing the loveseat appear, that Harry realized something.

The room was adjusting itself without any spells being cast, as it had with the mistletoe earlier.

Harry had been planning on bringing Tom to the Room of Requirements for his birthday.

But Tom obviously already knew of the room, because they were _in_ it.

He had to find Tom a different birthday present.

Within a week.

_Well, fuck._

**Author's Note:**

> On Tom’s birthday, the two found themselves back on the seventh floor, Harry looking sheepish and Tom merely amused.
> 
> “I’m sorry I couldn’t come up with anything else. I just don’t know what you want.”
> 
> “It’s alright, I have all I want right here, love. You are all I’ll ever need.”
> 
> In case anyone is interested, I have a oneshot by the name of “Dance to a Cursed Melody” that is a slight AU of this series. I didn’t include it within the series as it can be read alone, but if anyone wants to know what might have happened to these two in a different universe, please go read it! 
> 
> Thank you all for reading :)


End file.
